8/01/2007

Breaking Earth NewsIndiaPatna, July 29: The army has been kept standby as the overall flood situation in Bihar is likely to further worsen with water level of major rivers, already above danger level, further rising with heavy rains in their catchment areas inundating fresh areas in the 11 affected districts.State disaster management sources said as the situation was deteriorating, the government had written letters to the authorities at the Danapur cantonment here asking them to keep army boats and helicopters ready for intensifying the relief and rescue operations

Indian villagers use a raft made of banana plants to navigate through floodwaters near the village of Bordoloni in Dhemaji district, 28 July.(AFP/STRDEL)

Patna, Aug 1: The overall flood situation in Bihar today worsened with swollen Kareh breaching its embankment at two places, inundating vast areas of Darbhanga, Samastipur and Begusarai districts as all major rivers were in spate due to heavy rains in their catchment areas.

Swirling waters of Kareh, Bagmati and Kamala Balan continued to wreak havoc in all the 18 blocks in Darbhanga district, worst hit by floods, where over 24 lakh people have been affected by the deluge, official sources said.

The district administration engaged local boats to evacuate the marooned people as the flood-fighting operations continued on a war-footing, he said.

The situation was likely to aggravate further with all the major rivers, including Burhi Gandak, Gandak, Bagmati, Mahananda and Kosi, already flowing above the danger mark at several places along their course, once again rising menacingly following incessant rains in their catchment areas, sources said.

In West Champaran district the situation is equally grim following breach in the embankment of river Sikarahana at village Mahana near Bettiah, sources added. (Agencies)